1820.] Occurrences in London and its Vicinity. At the Court at Carlton House, January 30, 1820, present, The King's Most Excellent Majesty, H. R. H. the Duke of Clarence, &c. &c. &c. His Majesty, at his first coming into the Council, was this day pleased to declare, that, understanding that the law requires he should, at his accession to the Crown, take and subscribe the oath relating to the security of the Church of Scotland, he was now ready to do it this first opportunity, which his Majesty was graciously pleased to do according to the forms used by the law of Scotland, and subscribed two instruments thereof, in the presence of the Lords of the Council, who witnessed the same; and his Majesty was pleased to order, that one of the said instruments be transmitted to the Court of Session, to be recorded in the books of the Sederunt, and after which to be forthwith lodged in the Public Register of Scotland, and that the other of them remain among the records of the Council, and be entered in the Council Book. A most extraordinary case, or rather series of cases, occupied the time of the Court, at the Old Bailey, several hours. A man of colour, a very respectable individual, was tried upon three indictments, for horse-stealing (hiring horses and riding off with them), and was in each case positively sworn to by a number of witnesses; although it appeared beyond all doubt, from the concurring testimony of several most respectable persons, that the prisoner could not be the man who committed the offences imputed to him. It seems, he had the misfortune of being so much like another individual, that he might easily be mistaken for him. It was also proved by an eminent solicitor, that a person exactly resembling the prisoner in person had lately been sent out of the country, and that the only difference in their appearance was in their hair. He was, of course, acquitted upon each charge, 163* There was a fourth indictment, but which the prosecutor declined going on with. The Common Serjeant said, it was a most unfortunate circumstance, that the prisoner was so like a very wicked person; and, adding, that he had no doubt whatever of his innocence, ordered him instantly to be discharged. An involuntary burst of applause from all quarters of a very crowded Court followed the order-upon the indecency of which the Common Serjeant observed in severe terms. Thursday, Jan. 27. This morning a fire broke out in the house of Mr. Fowler, known by the name of China Hall, on the Lower Deptfordroad, which communicated to his silk mills; the whole of which, with a large quantity of silk, was totally consumed. Tuesday, Feb. 1. The following singular circumtance occurred:-A stag which was turned out, we believe, in the neighbourhood of Lord Derby's seat, at Seven Oaks, after leading his pursuers a circuit of near forty miles, made towards the Metropolis, and entered the suburbs at Vauxhall: he crossed towards Kennington, and by cross streets and bye-ways got into Lambeth Walk; here, being hard pressed by the dogs, he turned up King-street, and bolted through a window into a room in which a poor shoemaker was sitting at work: he was followed by the dogs, to the great alarm of the descendant of Crispin. His life would soon have fallen a sacrifice to the dogs, had not the whipper in arrived at the instant, and interposed to save him; he was secured and conveyed in safety to Mumford's livery stables, Kennington-cross. Tuesday, Feb. 8. -The Butt v. Sir Nathaniel Conant. final judgment of the Court of Common Pleas, was this day given in this case. It was an action of trespass and false imprisonment, brought by the plaintiff against Sir Nathaniel Conant, for having issued a warrant, by which the plaintiff was arrested, and subsequently committed for want of bail. The warrant had been issued on account of the publication of two libels; one on Lord Ellenborough, the late Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and the other on Lord Castlereagh. The case had been brought to trial before Chief Justice Dallas, who declared at the time, that the defendant, as a magistrate, was justified by the law in doing what he had done. The jury, not agreeing with the Learned Judge, found a special verdict, and the point of law now came on to be argued for the second time. Lord Chief Justice Dallas gave judgment that a Magistrate is bound to commit in not only actual, but expected, breaches of the peace, and that on information on oath oath a person may be arrested and held to bail, if he be suspected that he is about to fight a duel. His opinion, therefore, was, that the defendant was justified in what he had done, and the plaintiff could not maintain his action." The other Judges concurred; and a verdict was therefore entered for defendant. Saturday, Feb. 12. A most respectable meeting of the merchants of this city engaged in the commerce with the Netherlands, took place at the London Tavern, for the purpose of raising a subscription among their own members, to be appropriated to the relief of the sufferers by the late inundations in that country. William Ward, Esq. was invited to preside on the occasion, and opened the business of the day by a short, but perspicuous, statement of the views of that assembly, and the peculiar propriety of their interference in endeavouring to alleviate so signal a calamity. As merchants connected with Holland, they had met to perform an act of charity, and they would perform it without ostentation. As an introduction to the business of the meeting, the Rev. Dr. Werninck then read a detailed description of the calamity that bad called forth this benevolent interference, the recital of which produced an evident emotion in the whole company. The inundations have been more fatal and more extensive than any that have before occurred, even in a country peculiarly exposed to that species of devastation. It appears, too, that no part of the calamity is chargeable upon the neglect of those whose business it was to take measures for protecting the country against the overflow of the waters. On the contrary, the most extraordinary exertions were every where made to exclude them. Upon one dyke, for instance, of only three miles long, upwards of 1500 men were constantly at work; yet such was the rapid and unexampled increase of the water, occasioned by the melting of the immense quantity of snow in the higher parts of the interior, and the incessant rains, that all precaution availed nothing. As the ice in the lower parts of the rivers remained firm, and became gradually piled up, by the accumulation of the floating masses, till it formed an immovable barrier, the water was stopped in its course, and prevented from running down into the sea. Some idea may be formed of this sudden and unparalleled augmentation, when the fact is mentioned, that on the 27th of January, at Dalem, and the adjacent villages, in the province of South Holland, the water having increased at noon to the height of seven feet from the ground, obtained by new breaches in the dyke such an immense addition, that at two o'clock it had risen to the height of eleven feet. Some cases of particular distress, in this general picture of human suffering, are too striking not to be recorded in this place and on this occasion. A breach in the dyke of so large a magnitude took place near to the village of Leinden, in Guelderland, that the violence of the water rushing through it, accompanied with heavy masses of ice, swept away many of the dwellings; and the inhabitants, with the greatest difficulty, and with the loss of their children and sick and aged relations, saved themselves by running to the church, which, standing on an eminence, was protected by some intervening houses from the violence of the flood. In this church upwards of 750 persons took refuge, without being able to save an article of property, lamenting the loss of relations, dwellings, and cattle, and reduced at the same time to a state of starvation; for they remained two or three days in this situation before any provisions could be brought to them; not only because all the provisions in the village were destroyed, but no boats were able to reach them from other places; for the wind, which blew very hard, and the impetuous flowing of the water, prevented all intercourse. At Leut, another village in Guelderland, a similar occurrence took place. The people were compelled to fly to a nobleman's seat in the vicinity, where they were humanely received, to the number of 200. Even then they were in great danger; but, fortunately, the strength of the building withstood the violence of the ice, and the impetuosity of the flood. At Oosterhout, a village in the other part of Guelderland, the Roman Catholic church, parsonage-house, and many other buildings, were driven from their foundations, and a great number of the inhabitants drowned. These melancholy scenes, particularly in the night, were rendered still more awful by the guns firing continually signals of distress, announcing new calamities, occasioned by additional breaches in the dykes. The inundations in the years 1799 and 1809 were partial and limited compared with this. Sueh is the present extent of the calamity, that in the province of Guelderland alone, seventy-two villages are under water. In each of the provinces of South Holland and Utrecht, the inundation has covered more than 120,000 acres of land. The flood has risen higher, and increased more rapidly, than any remembered by the oldest inhabitants. The exertions made by the people of Holland, to administer help to the sufferers, have only been limited by their ability. Many instances of personal intrepidity, in attempting the rescue of persons overwhelmed by the flood, have also been recorded. That of M. Langendam, the master of a large vessel, is perhaps the 1820.] Occurrences in London and its Vicinity. the most extraordinary. He sailed through one of the breaches in the dyke of the river Waal, over the inundated fields, for the purpose of rescuing his unfortunate fellow-creatures from a watery grave, risking not only the loss of his vessel, but his own life and that of his crew. To the astonishment of every one, his intrepidity and humanity were amply rewarded, and crowned with success. He saved a great number of persons whom he found floating on pieces of the roofs of their houses, or clinging to the tops of their dwellings ; among whom were many women, who had been two or three nights in these perilous situations, with their infants at their breasts, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, and almost starved to death. After the Resolutions had all been put and carried, which was done with perfect unanimity, a liberal subscription was entered into, and, before the Meeting separated,amounted to a very considerable sum. Mr. Henry Hunt, after several applications to the Court of King's Bench, has obtained a writ of Certiorari for removing the trial of himself and others (on a charge of conspiracy on the 16th of Angust at Manchester) from Lancaster to some other county. The ground of his application was, that an impartial trial could not be expected in Lancashire. The condition on which the Judges consented to remove the venue was, that the defendants should enter into recognizances to appear in the Court appointed for such removal, and undertake to go to trial at the next Assizes. In the Court of King's Bench, Wm. Peel, esq. M. P. for Tamworth, and R. G. Daw 165* son, esq. M. P. for Londonderry, for having challenged - Floyer, esq. to fight a duel, have both been sentenced to one month's imprisonment; to pay a fine of 5007. each, and to give securities to keep the peace; themselves in 4000%. each, and two sureties in 20007. each. The executors of the late Lord Ellenborough are said to have discovered securities among his papers, to the amount of 80,000%. more than they had calculated to be the property which his Lordship died possessed of. It is a fact worthy of notice, that no less than ninety-seven lives were lost, during the last year, within the bills of mortality, by fire. It is ascertained by the books at the Custom-house, that in the year ending 5th January last, the enormous quantity of 26,799,369 bushels of foreign corn and grain were imported duty-free. The present Law Term continues, notwithstanding the decease of the King, to belong to the preceding reign, and not to that of his Majesty's successor; so the Session of Parliament is the 60th of the King, not the 1st of George IV. The British and Foreign Bible Society have promoted the translating and printing the Bible into no less than 127 languages and dialects. The Rev. Dr. Parr, who had long held one of the numerous prebendal stalls in St. Paul's Cathedral, which never produced him more than 101. per annum, has been fortunate enough to negociate a lease, in right of his stall, to the Regent Canal Company for no less than 24,000%. sterling.— So says Report—we hope truly. HORRIBLE CONSPIRACY AND MURDER! In consequence of private information received by the Civil Power, that it was in the contemplation of a gang of diabolical ruffians to make an attempt on the lives of his Majesty's Ministers, whilst assembled at the house of Earl Harrowby, in Mansfield-street, to a Cabinet Dinner, this evening, R. Birnie, Esq. with a party of 12 of the Bow-street patrole, proceeded about eight o'clock to the place which had been described as the rendezvous of these desperadoes in Cato-street, John-street, in the Edgeware-road; where, in a kind of loft, over a range of coach-houses, they were found in close and earnest deliberation. The only approach to this Pandemonium was by a narrow ladder. Ruthven, one of the principal Bow-street Officers, led the way, and was followed by Ellis, Smithers, Surman, and others of the patrole. On the door being opened, about 25 or 30 men were seen within, all armed some way or other; and, for the most part, they were apparently engaged, either in charging fire-arms, or in girding themselves in belts similar to those worn by the military. There were tables about the room, on which lay a number of cutlasses, bayonets, pistols, sword-belts, pistol-balls in great quantities, ball-cartridges, &c. As the Officers entered the room, the conspirators all immediately started up; when Ruthven, who had been furnished with a warrant from the Magistrates, exclaimed, "We are Peace-officers! Lay down your arms!" In a moment all was confusion. A man, whom Ruthven describes as the notorious A. Thistlewood, opposed himself to the Officers, armed with a cut-and-thrust sword of unusual length. Ruthven attempted to secure the door; and Ellis, who had followed him into the room, advanced towards the man, and, presenting his pistol, exclaimed, "Drop your sword, or I'll fire instantly!" The man brandished his sword with increased violence when Smithers, the other other patrole, rushed forward to seize him; and on the instant the ruffian stabbed him to the heart. Poor Smithers fell into the arms of his brother Officer Ellis, exclaiming "Oh God!" and in the next instant was a corpse. While this deed was doing, the lights were extinguished, and a desperate struggle ensued, in which many of the Officers were severely wounded. Surman, one of the patrole, received a musket-ball on the temple; but fortunately it only glanced along the side of his head, tearing up the scalp in its way. The conspirators kept up an incessant fire whilst it was evident to the Officers that many of them were escaping by some back way. Mr. Birnie exposed himself every where, and encouraged the Officers to do their duty, while the balls were whizzing round his head. At this moment, Captain Fitzclarence (one of the gallant sons of his Royal Highness the. Duke of Clarence) arrived at the head of a detachment of the Coldstream Guards. They surrounded the building; and Captain Fitzclarence, with Serjeant Legge and three files of grenadiers, mounted the ladder and entered the room, now filled with smoke, and only illuminated by the occasional flashes of the fire-arms of the conspirators. A ruffian instantly approached the gallant Captain, and presented a pistol to his breast; but as he was in the act of pulling the trigger, Serjeant Legge rushed forward, and whilst attempting to push aside the destructive weapon, received the fire upon his arm. Fortunately for this brave man, the ball glanced along his arm, tearing the sleeve of his jacket from the wrist to his elbow, without wounding him. It is impossible to give a minute detail of the desperate conflict which followed, or the numerous instances of personal daring manifested by the Peaceofficers and the military, thus brought into sudden contact with a band of assassins in their obscure den, and in utter darkness. Unfortunately, this darkness favoured the escape of many of the wretches, and the dreadful skirmish ended in the capture of only nine of them. These were instantly handcuffed together, placed in hackney.coaches, and brought down to the Police-office, Bow-street, under a strong military escort; and Mr. Birnie, having arrived at the same moment, instantly took his seat upon the Bench, and prepared to enter into the examination of the prisoners. They were immediately placed at the bar in the following order :James Ings, a butcher; James Wilson, a tailor; Richard Bradburn, a carpenter; James Gilchrist, a shoemaker; Charles Cooper, a bootmaker; Richard Tidd, a bootmaker; John Monument, a shoemaker; John Shaw, a carpenter; and William Davidson, a cabinet-maker. Davidson is a man of colour, and a worthy coadjutor of Messrs. Watson, Thistlewood, and Co. upon many occasions. At the meeting in Finsbury market-place a few months ago, he was one of the principal speakers. Ings is a hoary ruffian, a short squat man, apparently between 50 and 60, but of most determined aspect. His hands were covered with blood; and as he stood at the bar, manacled to one of his wretched confederates, his small fiery eyes glared round upon the spectators with an expression truly horrible. The rest had nothing extraordinary in their appearance. They were for the most part men of short stature, mean exterior, and unmarked physiognomy. The office was crowded with soldiers and officers, bringing in arms and ammunition of various kinds, which had been taken on the premises; muskets, carbines, broadswords, pistols, blunderbusses, belts, and cartouch-boxes, ball-cartridges, gunpowder (found loose in the pockets of the prisoners), haversacks, and a large bundle of singularly-constructed stilettoes. These Jatter were about 18 inches long, and triangular in form; two of the sides being concave, and the other flat; the lower extremity having been flattened, and then wrung round spirally, so as to make a firm grip, and ending in a screw, as if to fit into the top of a staff. Several staves indeed were produced, fitted at one end with a screwed socket; and no doubt they were intended to receive this formidable weapon. The depositions of a number of officers, most of them wounded, and several of the soldiers, having been taken, their evidence substantiating the foregoing narrative, the prisoners were asked whether they wished to say any thing. Cooper and Davidson the black were the only ones who replied; and they merely appealed to the officers and soldiers to say, whether they had not instantly surrendered themselves. Ellis, the patrole, who received the murdered body of his comrade Smithers in his arms, replied, that Davidson made the most determined resistance. At the moment when the lights were extinguished, he had rushed out of the place, armed with a carbine, and wearing white cross-belts. Ellis pursued him a considerable distance along Johnstreet, and, having caught him, they fell together; and, in the deadly struggle which ensued, Davidson discharged his carbine, but without effect, and Ellis succeeded in securing him. Capt. Fitzclarence had seized and secured one or two of the prisoners with his own hands; and he was not only very much bruised, but his uniform was almost literally torn to pieces. At eleven o'clock, the depositions having been taken, as far as the circumstances of the 1820.] Occurrences m London and its Vicinity. the moment would permit, the Magistrate committed the prisoners for further examination on Friday; and they were then placed in hackney-coaches, two prisoners being placed in each coach, accompanied by two police officers, with two soldiers bebind and one on the box, and the whole cavalcade escorted by a strong party of the Coldstream Guards on foot. The following morning an extraordinary Gazette was issued, offering 10001. for the apprehension of Arthur Thistlewood. He was taken by Bishop and a party of police officers, about 12 o'clock the same day, at No. 10, White-street, in Little Moor fields. The house is kept by a person named Harris, who is foreman to a letterfounder; at the time of the apprehension Harris was from home, and supposed to be at his work; but the officers took his wife with them to Bow-street. The house is full of lodgers; none of whom were aware of Thistlewood being on the premises till the officers entered; nor was he ever seen there before. The following are circumstantial particulars of Thistlewood's arrest. At 9 o'clock in the morning, Lavender, Bishop, Ruthven, Salmon, and six of the patrole, were dispatched; and, arriving at the house, three of the latter were placed at the front, and three at the back door, to prevent escape. Bishop observed a room on the ground floor, the door of which he tried to open, but found it locked. He called to a woman in the opposite apartment, whose name is Harris, to fetch him the key. She hesitated, but at last brought it. He then opened the door softly. The light was partially excluded, from the shutters being shut; but he perceived a bed in a corner and advanced. At that instant a head was gently raised from under the blankets, and the countenance of Thistlewood was presented to his view. Bishop drew a pistol, and presenting it at him, exclaimed, Mr. Thistlewood, I am a Bow-street officer; you are my prisoner:' and then, to make assurance double sure,' he threw himself upon him. Thistlewood said, he would make no resistance. Lavender, Ruthven, and Salmon, were then called, and the prisouer was permitted to rise. He had his breeches and stockings on, and seemed much agitated. On being dressed, he was handcuffed. In his pockets were found some ball-cartridges and flints, the black girdle, or belt, which he was seen to wear in Cato street, and a sort of military silk sash. A hackney coach was then seut for, and he was conveyed to Bow-street. In his way thither he was asked by Bishop what he meant to do with the ball cartridges? He declined answering any questions. He was followed by a crowd of persons, who repeatedly cried out, Hang the villain! hang the assassin!' and used other 167* exclamations of a similar nature. When He At two o'clock he was conducted before the Privy Council. He was still handcuffed, but mounted the stairs with alacrity. On entering the Council-chamber he was placed at the foot of the table. He was then addressed by the Lord Chancellor, who informed him that he stood charged with the twofold crime of treason and murder, and asked him whether he had any thing to say for himself? He answered, that he should decline saying any thing on that occasion.' He was then committed to Coldbath-fields prison. In The other prisoners, apprehended the night before, were likewise taken before the Privy Council, and recommitted. addition to the Cabinet Ministers, there were present, Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer of Scotland, Sir William Scott, Mr. Sturges Bourne, the Attorney and Solicitor-General, Sir John Nicholl, &c. They continued in examination of the prisoners ull past six o'clock, when the prisoners, who had been kept in separate rooms, were removed in hackney-coaches to the House of Correction, escorted by a party of the Life Guards, amidst the execrations of those assembled round, and Thistlewood was |